Smyrna times., 1887-06-22
A CUBAN DUEL.

Imade my initial appearance on tn
field OF honor in Havana few days sine
us second to a bowling Cuban swell. /
was duel that set the queen of the An
TILES agOg. On Sunday night there wa
music in the park and after dinner al
English lord, a Chicago gambler and
We're strolling TRANQUILITY along in tn
starlight when magniticently appointed
victoria rose up and man whom we al
knew jumped out.
81 was at your hotel - he said, RAISING
his hat amiably, "but you had out gone
and so / come here"
'Hawr' said the Englishman, fixing hi,
glass in his eye and beaming through il
upon the young Cuban, ''I'm shuah we're
always glad to see you-indeed, we-ah-
we are vawstly indebted to you already
for so many agreeable attentions
Indeed, said the Cuban, with depre.
catory wave Of the hand, ''it is l that
am cOmplimented by meeting men Of the
world.
The gambler nodded to him sagely. and
patted his shoulder with a thin, white
hand, on which glittered diamond as bic
as an acorn. Having passed creditably
through the complimentary stage Of the
cOnversatiOn-an absolute necessity in the
NAOBANo We NuAluGLCu over 10 lIe DO
Louvre cafe. Here the Cuban told us of
masked ball that was on that night. AS
near as we could make out it was a sort
of half way respectable dance, where one
might expect to meet almost ANYTHING.
There was always more or less mystery in
our talk, as the Cuban spoke very little
English. He, however, knew some Ger
man-the gambler knew the tongue we'll
and was admirable in French. The Brit
lsh nObleman's knowledge of the language
OF the merry Gaul was on the same &C.
centric scale as my own, and we all knew
a little Spanish. The talk was commonly,
therefore, touching mixture of French.
Spanish, German and English.
And l rawther like it, too, dive
knOw:' the Englishman remarked that
night. ''I-ah-nevah really understand
what people are talking about in nv own
tongue, and I'm quite shuah no one has
the slightest idea what-ah-what han
pen to be prating about, though we all
Keep up such tremendous seeming. Won
know. This way it doesn't make''@
Ihere was sudden movement in the
crowd, chair was overturned and fell
with crash on the floor, and the Cuban
at our table sprang to his feet and glared
sayagely at a sallOw faced man who stood
twenty feet away with his blazing ewes
hXed on the Cuban's face. Neither man
moved. The space between them was
cleared instantly, and every man in the
room was ON his feet except the nObleman.
the gambler and myself
''There's goin' t. be shootin' ;, rn,7ttarad
the Chicago man softly.
Looks that way" said the Fno1isb-
man laconically, as he turned his hand
some and imperturbable face more toward
the stranger. When the Cuban iumDed
70 his feet his hand fell mechanically on
my shoulder, and his grip tightened as he
stared at his foe till l thought his nails
would bore through my coat. Thus he
STOOD Tor awhile, and then the statuesoue
man across the room was surrounded bv
his friends and hurried out. He went
with his face turned toward us TO the last
1t was brutal face. The Cuban sanIT in
his seat and lighted cigarette. the wait
ers moved alertly about and I rubbed NV
shoulder gently.
Are y armed, m sonI'' asked the
gambler in his soothing voice as he laid
his hand on the young fellows knee.
NO, else l kill him as he stand. "
Wen, Wen just G. over with Won T.
your house till you get in shape. seeg I
don't know much, you unerstan', but I
come from corner O. the airth where
men take care o. themselves. an I know
tn look Of man that'l shoot. If that
white Ivered snipe gets the drop on YOU.
yer. gone.
Good, - said the bOy-he was but 01--
VIII go arm myself, but I go alone
else seem coward viii join you bert
again.
We nodded and he left us. while the
gambler watched him closely. Tbon tho
Chicago man twisted about in his scot
1ghted cigar nervOusly, moved his biz
diamond ring once or twice ON his thin
lllnger, and said in his peculiar. insinuat-
ing voice:
him;'' ~ VIII
We nodded again and he slid out of the
door and moved hurriedly acpos, to tbe
park in the direction taken bv the vornc,
Cuban. The Englishman pulled himself
together and told me Of the trouIle No
tween our Cuban friend and the salIoy
faced man who had glared at him i'm sncb
n theatrical uuu.
Ihat chap . ,4e lord, with nod
toward lle place where the sallow faced
man hi1d STOOD, is Ope Of the best swords
~ men Ia havana. He is the head Of a fam
lly that's very well known here. and hos
Madrid and at home He has a surIv 1is,
position, but his skill with the pistol and
foil has made him more or less fomons
ana lie IS good deal Of a local hero IT,
Is cohsumpuye and booked for the vow
age within few years, anyhow. and
tnaI seems to have made him reckless
MS trouble with our friend Tomaso here
Is OF less than five hours stgpdjuD TbeY,
were playing ecarte after breakfast To-
DAY; there was some dispute. and tbe boy
mere threw the cards in the duelist'g face
heafd ot 1t all in the clubs this oftar-
noon while you were asleep. Several of
Iomaso's friends have tried to get him
away, but the boy has the right snirit
anu he's a good deal more of an Anglo, |
saxon than most Of the people here 7
[atief thlnk that Is the reason that he
LollVWed rs 20 the park tonight, and Il |
t t''s oe.1ailly the reason that was Glad /
70 see him when he told me SO. His conn /
tfymen are very excitable, and he is CITED 1
WIN q good deal Of GOODNESS. I sunnoee /
ne inds as the same way. cannot sav
that am particularly gratiaed with tbe /
Turn affairs have taken, though for /
Eauher Thought that one Of the three ~ nc
was booked when that big eyed fire eater \
stood gIafing at us. y e'''ei
we smoked ON TRANQUILITY. waiting tho /
fepurn Of TomasO. / do not think either /
one OF Us felt particularly cheerful FOR
Ihefe Is an element OF uncertainty. not IN |
say uneasiness, about it when Won find |
yOuIseH ID The situation OF lying around /
eowh 'l.', ~ strange country near midnigbt
win q companion for whom somebodS Il /
searching with murdep0us intent.
Presently Tomaso returned. but befora
ne entered tie louvre the gambler slinneS /
IN ahead it o. him. and doubt Il he knows
II to this day that he had a vicilant sbo-.
eyed anu cool headed guard in his lone1x
walk through the park that piaht ana
PACK again to the crowded cafe irba
gambler moved his chair against the vgaII
crossed his legs. lighted another Of his IN
Z, ltiiieraole cigars, and all three Of nc
clalled u desultory way while Tomaso |
moved from table to table, nodding Ia
TINS friend and shaking hands with fhaf /
Is ne approached. News Of the tronbie I
Aad apparently got abroad, for the cafe
was crowded and every eye was fixed on
me placid Young Cuban